New study reveals moon volcanism continued until 120 million years ago

A new study published in Science reveals that lunar volcanic activity continued until about 120 million years ago, much later than previously thought. This discovery comes from the analysis of tiny volcanic glass beads brought back by China’s Chang’e-5 mission in 2020. Radiometric dating of the beads, conducted by a team led by Professor Li Qiuli of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, showed they formed 120 million years ago. The study suggests that recent volcanic activity on the moon may be linked to heat-generating elements in the mantle. Previously, scientists believed lunar volcanic activity ended around 2 billion years ago, but this research challenges that timeline and emphasizes the importance of understanding the moon’s geological evolution.

Source – CGTN